Windup Watch Fair NYC 2025 Recap: Ten Years In and Still Breaking the Mold
Ten years in, and the Windup Watch Fair still feels like a completely new way to interact with the watch industry. For three days in midtown Manhattan, Center415 transformed from a sleek Fifth Avenue venue into the living, breathing heart of watch enthusiast culture. No velvet ropes, no VIP lists—just open doors, multiple halls full of watches, and a community that’s grown from a scrappy gathering of enthusiasts into one of the most important fixtures on the watch industry’s calendar, with over 11,000 attendees.
This year marked the fair’s tenth anniversary, and we didn’t celebrate quietly. We expanded the layout to four full halls, bringing together more than 140 brands from 17 countries. We’d like to sincerely thank our Lead Sponsors: Bremont, Bulova, Christopher Ward, Oris, and Shinola. Without these strong anchors this experience wouldn’t be free and open to everyone. We’d also like to express our gratitude to each and every brand who participated, bringing some of the most interesting watches and products to the event and continuing to nudge the industry forward!
When guests arrived, they entered through the EDC Expo, presented by Topo Designs—an energetic reception area filled with the gear, tools, and accessories that round out modern enthusiast life: knives, pens, packs, and all the small essentials that speak the same design language as the watches themselves. Beyond that, three additional halls awaited, each blending independent and enthusiast brands with more established, heritage watch companies. The mix was deliberate—a seamless experience where visitors could move from a young maker showing their first prototype to a century-old manufacturer debuting a new release, all in the same breath.
Among the most talked-about launches of the weekend were two unmistakable crowd-pleasers. Christopher Ward and Worn & Wound together unveiled The Brooklynite, a watch designed in tribute to Brooklyn’s creative energy and its role in shaping modern watch enthusiasm. Its sharp geometry, warm metallic tones, and urban inspiration made it one of the fair’s most photographed pieces—and one that felt perfectly suited for Windup’s 10th anniversary setting. Just a few booths away, Bulova drew its own crowd with the Snorkel Windup NYC Limited Edition, a bold and playful twist on one of its most iconic dive designs. The custom colorway, Windup branding, and nods to the city that never sleeps made it both a collectible and a fitting homage to the event itself. Together, the two releases captured the spirit of the fair—accessible, creative, and rooted in community.
By the time doors opened, lines stretched down and around the block. Some attendees camped out before dawn, one even claiming the first spot at 1:30 a.m. just to snag a limited-edition drop. Inside, the crowd energy hit that rare balance between excitement and genuine connection—people clustered around booths, swapping stories, snapping wrist shots, and finding those special pieces to add to their collections. Miyota, the Official Movement Sponsor of Windup, enabled folks to go hands on with different pieces of precision movements.
There were plenty of headline moments. The fair opened with Bremont making its Windup debut, as CEO Davide Cerrato took the stage while the brand’s new Terra Nova Jumping Hour made a welcome first appearance. Next, TimexCEO Tobias Reiss-Schmidt officially launched the new Timex Atelier collection and, alongside Design Director Giorgio Galli, unveiled the lineup’s newest GMT model.
On Saturday, Worn & Wound contributors shared their industry perspectives and the 10th Anniversary Panel gathered ten brands that had been part of Windup since its earliest days, reflecting on how the landscape of independent watchmaking has evolved. What was once a niche has become a thriving creative force—proof that passion projects and big ideas, given time and persistence, can result in something truly epic.
Speaking of epic, Mr. Kikuo Ibe, the legendary engineer behind the G-SHOCK, drew a standing-room-only crowd as he told the story of “Absolute Toughness” with the humility and precision you’d expect from a man who changed how the world thinks about time and durability. This presentation was echoed in an area of the show where G-SHOCK implemented experiments showing in-depth ways to experience that same toughness in person.
Then on Sunday, October 19, Shinola presented “More than a Movement: How Culture Shapes Shinola’s Design Process.” Featuring Dana Mosa-Basha (Director of Marketing), Molly Wang (Senior Designer), and Greg Verras (Director of Watch Design), the panel explored how culture, collaboration, and storytelling fuel the brand’s distinctive creative process—and how authenticity continues to define its identity.
Bulova joined forces with Photoville to present “On My Watch: NYC in Pictures,” a compelling exploration of photography, horology, and community. Featuring street photographer Brian Alcazar (1$T), Sam Barzilay (Photoville), and Jason Gong (Complecto), the conversation dove into the authenticity of New York street culture—ambition, artistry, and grit captured in real time. Their amazing exhibit was on full display within the Editorial Lounge throughout the weekend. And finally, the talented team at HORAGE presented their MicroReg technology, which they believe will revolutionize the regulation of mechanical movements, featuring Andi Felsl (CEO) and David Sharp (COO).
But beyond the panels and watch debuts, what stood out most was the sense of community. Windup has always been about breaking barriers—between big and small brands, between collectors and creators, between the “watch world” and the real world. This year, that ethos was fully realized. Gear makers and strap designers stood shoulder to shoulder with high-end manufacturers. People came not just to buy, but to belong—to the culture, the conversation, and the shared belief that the independent spirit still matters.
As Chris Antzoulis of WatchGecko put it, “Windup Watch Fair NYC 2025 felt like proof that independent watchmaking isn’t just thriving, it’s overflowing.” That’s the real story here: enthusiast brands aren’t on the fringe anymore—they are the scene. Heritage brands are rediscovering their creative edge, collaborations are getting smarter, and the fair has become the proving ground for all of it.”
The festivities wouldn’t have been complete without the Bruichladdich Bar and the Brew Coffee Bar, both of which kept the crowds happy and hydrated. By Sunday evening, as the crowd thinned and the lights dimmed, the feeling was unmistakable. Windup Watch Fair NYC 2025 wasn’t just another successful event—it was the capstone of a decade that reshaped how the watch world connects. What began as a small idea—a belief that great watches should be accessible, that stories should be shared face to face, and that passion should be the common ground—has grown into a movement that now defines a generation of collectors no brand can afford to ignore.
Finally, thank you to the fans and visitors to Windup. It’s your devotion that makes this all possible. Prior to 2015, the mold for what a watch event could be was already cast: exclusive, closed-door, and built more for industry than for the people who actually wear the watches. Windup shattered that model. Since then, thanks to you—countless watches sold and stories told. And somehow, it still feels like we’re just getting started.
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